Psst! 3 Surprising Benefits of Having More Sex in Your Marriage

OK ladies, let's talk about sex. You already know it's healthy, draws you closer, and is lots of fun, but we bet you didn't know that having sex is associated with some more unusual (and pretty awesome) benefits, too. Check out these three intriguing reasons to make sex with your husband a top priority and say yes (yes, yes, yes!) after date night tonight:

1. It makes you smarter. In a just-released (and totally intriguing) study, researchers in Maryland found that sex may increase the formation of new neurons in the hippocampus (that's the area of the brain where our long-term memory lives). So, yes, if they're correct here, that means sex actually helps us create new brain cells.

2. It zaps headaches. Instead of reaching for the Advil, consider a romp in bed with your husband instead. It turns out that sex releases a hormone that can actually block pain. So whether it's a nagging headache or a pulled muscle in your back that's bothering you, having an orgasm might just be a (really fun) cure-all.

__3. It can make your skin more radiant.__Forget the $80 night cream. Have sex instead! It may sound hard to believe, but Eric Braverman, MD, founder of PATH Medical Center in New York City, says having sex releases a compound in the body called DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) that may help improve your complexion. "It can boost the immune system, give you healthier skin and even decrease depression," he says. Get it on—and get glowing.